RFID asset tags
A barcode has to be found, cleaned and pointed at. An RFID tag answers from inside a closed cabinet, from across a room, without line of sight.
Contents
RFID asset tags manufactured in Nairobi
A barcode has to be found, cleaned and pointed at. An RFID tag answers from inside a closed cabinet, from across a room, without line of sight.
For an organisation verifying five thousand assets across twelve sites, that is the difference between a six-week count and a six-day one.
We specify the tag, the reader and the read distance together, because an RFID project that ignores the surface or the environment will read beautifully in the demo and poorly in the store.
Product and application photos
Technical specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Technology | UHF RFID (frequency confirmed per project) |
| Read method | Contactless, no line of sight required |
| Metal surfaces | Requires on-metal construction |
| Encoding | Unique EPC per asset, plus printed barcode or QR as backup |
| Hardware | Handheld RFID readers and fixed readers available |
| Minimum order | Confirmed per project |
What goes on every tag
Included as standard
- Your logo, printed in full colour at no surcharge
- A unique sequential asset number
- A machine-readable barcode or QR code
- Your organisation name
Optional additions
- Department or cost-centre code
- A “Property of …” line
- Location or building code
- Return-if-found instruction
Sizes available
This product is quotation-only because specification, quantity and fixing materially change the price. Configure it below and we respond within 4 working hours. Minimum order 100 pieces.
| Size | Best for | Price per tag |
|---|---|---|
| 39 × 13 mmAnchor price | Compact, laptops, small electronics, instruments | Quotation on request |
| 50 × 20 mm | Most popular, general fixed assets | Quotation on request |
| 50 × 30 mm | Larger barcode, easier scanning at distance | Quotation on request |
| 35 × 35 mm | Square, best for QR codes | Quotation on request |
| 60 × 30 mm | Maximum data, logo and text | Quotation on request |
Prices are estimates and may vary with quantity, artwork complexity, coding and finishing. Minimum order 100 pieces. All prices exclude VAT at 16%. Full-colour logo printing is included at no extra charge.
Configure and price RFID asset tags
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Add physical tagging and an asset register.
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Live order total
Quotation on request
We respond within 4 working hours.
Prices are estimates and may vary with quantity, artwork complexity, coding and finishing. Minimum order 100 pieces. All prices exclude VAT at 16%. Full-colour logo printing is included at no extra charge.
All prices shown are for cash upfront orders and exclude VAT.
Where it works, where it doesn't
Where it works
- Populations above 2,000 assets
- Multi-site verification
- Frequent or quarterly counts
- Assets inside cabinets and stores
- Stock and equipment rooms
- Time-limited audit windows
Where it doesn't
- Small asset populations verified once a year
- Budgets where barcode tags already do the job
- Direct mounting on metal, use on-metal RFID tags
RFID vs barcode
| RFID | Barcode | |
|---|---|---|
| Line of sight | Not required | Required |
| Assets per hour | Hundreds to thousands | Tens to low hundreds |
| Cost per tag | Quotation on request, materially higher | From KSh 35 excl. VAT |
| Hardware cost | RFID reader required | Scanner or smartphone |
| Metal surfaces | Needs on-metal tags | Unaffected |
| Best for | Large, frequently counted populations | Most organisations under 2,000 assets |
We will tell you if you don't need RFID. For most organisations under 2,000 assets verified once a year, barcode tags cost a fraction as much and do the job.
See on-metal RFID tags for metal assetsIn use on real assets
Questions about RFID asset tags
When is RFID actually worth the money?
When asset count, verification frequency and labour cost together justify it. Below roughly 2,000 assets verified once a year, barcode tags cost a fraction as much and do the job. Above that, or where you verify quarterly, or where assets are spread across many sites, the labour saving compounds quickly. Ask us to run the numbers for your estate rather than guessing.
compare barcode asset tag pricesHow much more expensive is RFID than barcode?
Several times the per-tag cost, plus reader hardware. We quote RFID on specification. The honest way to evaluate it is total cost over five years including the labour of verification, not the tag price, which is the calculation most suppliers avoid doing with you.
How far away can an RFID tag be read?
It depends on the tag, the reader and what is between them. UHF tags read at metres rather than centimetres, and a handheld reader can sweep a room without anyone touching an asset. We will give you a tested figure for the specific tag and reader combination we quote.
Do RFID tags need batteries?
The passive tags we supply do not. They draw power from the reader's signal, which is why they have no service life limit and no battery to replace. Active, battery-powered tags exist for real-time location tracking, but that is a different product and a different budget.
Can RFID tags be read through walls or boxes?
Through cardboard, plastic and most packaging, yes, that is the advantage over a barcode. Through metal, concrete and liquid, no. If your assets are inside metal cabinets, you need to plan reader positions around that.
Why do standard RFID tags fail on metal?
Metal detunes the tag's antenna and absorbs the signal, so the read distance collapses to nothing. This catches a lot of organisations out after they have bought tags. Our on-metal RFID tags are engineered with a spacer layer specifically for this, and we would specify those for any metal-mounted asset.
see on-metal RFID asset tagsCan we scan hundreds of assets at once?
Yes. A handheld reader sweeping a room reads hundreds of tags a minute without line of sight. For an organisation that currently spends six weeks on an annual count, this is where the return sits.
Do we still need the asset number printed on the tag?
Yes, and we always print it. A tag readable only by machine is a problem the first time a reader battery dies or a staff member needs to check something by eye. Our RFID tags carry the human-readable number and a barcode or QR code alongside the RFID inlay.
Can RFID tags be cloned or spoofed?
Basic passive tags can be read and copied by anyone with a reader, so RFID is not a security control. If you need authentication, that is a different specification with encrypted tags, and you should tell us at the quotation stage rather than assume it.
Will RFID work with our existing asset system?
Usually. The reader outputs asset numbers, which is what your system already expects, the identifier is the same, only the capture method changes. Tell us the system and we will confirm the integration route before you commit.
explore asset management softwareNeed another answer? Browse the complete asset tag FAQ.
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Send us your quantity, size and asset list. We respond to quotation requests within 4 working hours.